I Wish I Knew You When I Was Young
by Lucky-Racer
Summary: Marinette is 28 and settled down with her long-term boyfriend, Luka. Until a new superhero jumps onto the scene and shakes things up - Cat Noir. The only thing is, this newbie is in high school! Lukanette. LadyNoir. MariChat. Ladrien. Nathanette. Cladrien.
1. Introduction

**A/n** : _I am back this time with a much more emotionally heavy story. This idea was inspired largely by the scene in Season 1 Episode 6, The Pharaoh, in which Cat Noir asks Ladybug how old she really is. It sparked the idea of an age gap between the main characters. The Revivalists'_ Wish I Knew You _also inspired a few things about this fic, including the title. I believe that the quoting of this song falls under Fair Use. I do not own this song or the Miraculous universe._

* * *

.: Chapter 1 - Introduction :.

*flash-forward*

"Oh, I hope you don't mind? We can share my mood, yeah _," a voice crooned softly over the radio. Marinette was ultra-aware of the heartbeat in her chest; she could physically feel the pulses moving her body's blood around, keeping her alive.  
_

"Two strangers in the bright lights _!" She thought of Cat and herself, back-to-back, surrounded, against the odds, and out of time. They had been in some sticky situations. But somehow they always pulled out of it fine. She blushed when she realized the now-accurate double entendre._

"I wish I knew you,

I wish I knew you,

Oh! I wish I knew you when I was young! _"_

 _Desire and extreme sadness coursed through her, for the dark hero and the young love they had missed out on. Even though she shared a special bond with him as a fellow superhero, she wished she had actually gotten to know him - the_ real _him - especially before sleeping with him. Her heart ached for their lost innocence, tears gathering in her eyes. Just who_ was _the person behind the mask?_

 _Luka's face swam up in her mind's eye and broke her reverie. Patient Luka, caring Luka. She suddenly loathed herself, crying in earnest. Why was she pining for this man she didn't know when she had one so fabulous right in front of her? Tears stained her pillow as Tikki snuggled close, sadly stroking her human's hair._

*/end*

* * *

She had a love-hate relationship with this time of day. The magnificent, sprawling metropolis was always somewhat bathed in a glow due to all of the city lights. Still, the atmosphere was sleepy and quiet. The Earth wasn't ready to wake up yet; the sense of an almost-dawn and hope for the new day lingered in the air.

Jumping from building to building, she let the rhythm of the patrol calm her nerves. There was something about wearing the skintight bodysuit - which always magically seemed to stretch in just the right places - that kept her adrenaline pumping. But ever since the akuma had almost turned her at 24 years old, after the death of her mother, Master Fu was strict about her meditating. She almost thought she had gotten the hang of it now, four years later. It helped keep her calm in stressful situations, and to keep her emotions in check.

Abruptly, her mind was broken out of autopilot by a strange sight. She came to a halt and ducked for cover behind a chimney, trying to see what had captured her attention. It was a fast-moving black blob, a few rooftops away, that was quickly approaching her position. She almost never encountered other people walking around high above the city. In all her years of patrolling, about twelve now, she could only remember a few people with legitimate reasons for being on a roof.

The figure was definitely human, she thought, as he or she stepped onto the neighboring rooftop. It was an androgynous and sinister figure in the predawn light, approaching her spot with the quick jumps that Ladybug herself normally used to move. As the figure neared and stepped onto her own rooftop, her communicator started to ring. _Crap!_ She thought. She didn't normally have to worry about it making noise. The only person who had called her was Master Fu, and less than the amount of times she could count on one hand. The sound abruptly cut off as she silenced it, wincing. It looked like whoever was on the roof with her had already heard the sound.

"Ah," the figure shouted. holding up a cellphone-looking device to his ear - quite long and bulky for a cellphone, admittedly - maybe more like a radio? "Found ya, Ladybug!" He was definitely male. Black shiny material swathed the tall form. His shoulders were broad but not bulky, and his abdomen tapered pleasantly to graceful hips; he had a fit and athletic profile. He was slender but not scrawny, and well-defined muscles bunched under the tight bodysuit as he moved gracefully towards her. Definitely a dancer. Or a fighter.

She frowned and stepped out from behind the chimney, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who are _you_?" Ladybug asked, trying not to sneer at the other strangely-dressed person. Her hand wandered towards her yo-yo. She had only seen a handful of akumatized victims, and he didn't seem like any of them. A blond, spiky mane hid his human ears, and he wore cat ears and a tail. If she didn't know better... Had Master Fu given out the Cat miraculous without telling her?

"What, you're not going to answer me?" He interrupted her introspection, annoyingly not answering her question. He grinned at her, still rather stupidly, she thought, clutching the….gray metal stick… up to his ear. She supposed it had went to voicemail as he snapped it shut.

"That's _you_ calling me? So he _did_ give out the Cat miraculous," she said in amazement, eyeing his ring.

Cat looked back at her hungrily. "So, you can tell me more about this, then? My Kwami is the only one who has been able to tell me anything yet."

She frowned. "I can tell you a few things. A lot you will have to learn on your own as each Miraculous is different. What do I call you?"

"You can call me Lover Boy," he arrogantly cocked his hip and rested a fist on it. Pursing his lips, he let his eyes rove up and down her frame. "But my _name_ is Cat Noir!"

Ladybug raised her eyebrows at his exclamation, fingers gripping her biceps in annoyance. She studiously ignored the first half of the comment. " _Really_? 'Cat Noir'?"

"Well… you have to admit, it sounds pretty badass."

"Black Cat?"

"Hmm…. well, it might be a work in progress. Anyway, we've got to go! Someone from my - I mean, a new villain called Stoneheart has popped up and he's got a high-school student named Myléne in his grasp… literally! They're at the Eiffel Tower right now!"

"Oh, wow! Not that I would wish anyone to be akumatized, but it _is_ cool to finally get a chance to test out my powers! And you're already proving useful, Kitty," she teased.

If he was a real cat, he would have strutted around, so pleased he was at her praise. She rolled her eyes and took off, and he had to hustle to keep up with her.

* * *

When they arrived, the police were trying to contain the scene. Stoneheart actually had _two_ high-school girls in his grip! He had them both clutched in his fists. Before she knew what was happening, Ladybug sprinted to catch the blond-haired girl that Stoneheart mercilessly hurtled to the ground. From Ladybug's arms, the girl, Chloé, Ladybug thought, beamed at her as she realized that her body wouldn't be broken in a heap. "Ladybug! My hero!" She cried.

"No problem, just run for cover, ok?" Ladybug instructed, setting the frightened girl down. The girl followed her instructions eagerly, running to seek shelter with her father, the mayor.

The police were preparing to fire at the stone monster. Ladybug managed to stall them for a short amount of time, exchanging some heated words, but was filled with doubt after the argument. Cat was quick to reassure her, taking her aside and holding her shoulders. "You've got this, LB," he said softly. "You're a real pro. I know you've already purified a few akumas before. And now you have me on your side, too. Ladybug and Cat Noir!"

As she smiled her thanks, a swarm of black butterflies made their way out of Stoneheart's mouth. Ladybug and Cat Noir exchanged a glance. "Now that's just disgusting," she commented.

Hawk Moth introduced himself to the city of Pairs via the butterfly swarm, projecting his voice to the group. Ladybug was filled with righteous indignation at his words. "Let's not reverse the roles here," she started, launching into an inspiring speech about how herself and Cat Noir would always protect and defend the innocent. Cat Noir could only stare at the red-clad supero. He realized he had fallen for her, hard.

* * *

After it was over, Ladybug parachuted to the ground, the other high-school girl in her arms, akuma in her yo-yo. She released the white butterfly and threw her parachute into the air. Cat met her on the ground with the now-purified high-school boy.

The duo made sure everyone was ok, and then had to go their separate ways. Cat Noir had gripped Ladybug's forearm, stalling her for a precious few seconds. "I'll see you soon, my Lady," he winked at her before letting her go.

If she was being honest with herself, a slight thrill ran through her before she swung away, trying not to grin.

* * *

" _Babe_? I'm home!" Marinette shouted as she ducked through the rooftop entrance to her shared bedroom, detransforming instantly. They had put the rooftop entrance in shortly after she had revealed her superhero identity to the love of her life. Tikki shook herself and smiled at her human, zipping off into the rest of the house to look for something to eat.

Marinette pounded downstairs and found Luka sitting at the dining table, having breakfast. She hugged him exuberantly, combing through his messy-yet-perfect hair with her fingers. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind and planted a kiss on his stubbly cheek. Helping herself to a croissant, she took a seat next to him. Tikki was munching on a cookie happily on the kitchen counter.

"Close call with that," Luka nodded at the TV, frowning. "Good catch." Chloé hurtled to the ground again on the news. Even though Marinette knew Ladybug would intercept her, her stomach still dropped a bit watching it.

She knew Luka got live updates from the _Ladyblog_ that sent notifications to his phone, so she wasn't surprised he knew about what had happened before it aired on the news. She was a bit surprised that Alya had been so quick, though. "Thanks," Marinette responded. "That was scary. It's the first time something I've done has been so… public."

"Maybe," he agreed, clasping her hand across the table and squeezing. "You've definitely been in the limelight before. But, nothing like this. Especially with a new… partner," he tried to tread carefully. "You will probably attract more attention as a duo."

His lover made a face. "Ick, that guy is so full of himself. I'm already tired of him," she complained, smiling in spite of herself.

Tikki giggled. "Believe it or not, he's not the worst Cat so far."

"As hard as it is to admit with you gallivanting around with this new, toned, good-looking chap, I really am glad you're getting some help," Luka said after eyeing the Kwami. " If that Hawk Moth is serious, then I would be worried if only you stood between Paris and that monster."

"That's a pretty good point. It looks like we won't be going on vacation anytime soon," Marinette frowned, sighing. "And I won't be able to see you on your tour! Agh."

The guitarist was a part of a moderately successful rock band, and they were starting their third world tour in a few months. "I know it sucks," he started. "But tour always sucks. You can see me at the Paris show," he suggested.

"That's a wonderful idea. I absolutely _hate_ being away from you for so long."

"Look on the bright side, it might not be that different than normal. Master Fu has only let you off duty for about a week at a time in all your years of being Ladybug," Luka reasoned.

"Yeah, but one week and zero weeks are very different," she pouted.

"I admit, never being able to take a vacation again sounds a bit daunting. Although, it's not gonna be forever, right? Even superheroes have to retire at some point."

Tikki and Marinette glanced at each other, the former serene and ponderous and the latter gritty and determined.

* * *

Back in his room, Adrien flung himself onto his bed. "Plagg, she's so _wonderful_!" Adrien gushed.

"I'm telling you, man," Plagg reproached. "Don't get too into her. You and her are going to be working together for a long time. You don't want that to be complicated by romantic feelings."

"I don't think I'll be able to ignore it. She's too awesome!"

Later, Adrien was shocked by the news that he was actually going to be allowed to attend school. _Real_ school, where _real_ , live, other human teenagers attended! This was the best day ever!

* * *

Later that week, Marinette had to become Ladybug _again_. She wasn't used to having more than a few villains each year. If Hawk Moth had been behind the akumas this entire time, he had merely been testing his powers before now. The onslaught began in earnest ever since the Stoneheart incident.

Unfortunately, Luka's best friend had been eating dinner with them, so she had to make a lame excuse to get out of the house.

Nathan eyed his buddy. "Emergency Lamaze class? _Really_? Is this her way of saying something?"

He choked on his wine, slightly embarrassed. "I know, Nate, I know. She's not pregnant!" "It's for a friend." The white lie came out easily in defense of his love's alter-ego.

"But, what's the emergency? I thought those classes were planned far in advance."

"You know Marinette can be forgetful. Sometimes I think it's kind of cute."

Nathaniel made a face and flipped his long red bangs out of his eyes. "Whatever you say, Luka. But, try seeing it from my point of view. She definitely comes and goes at odd hours," looking not-so-furtively at the clock. It was 20:07.. Quite late for an 'emergency Lamaze class'.

Luka got the hint, though still felt protective of his partner and her secret. He definitely appreciated his friend's point of view, though. It wasn't unreasonable. "I know it might look strange to someone with a normal schedule. But that's a freelancer for you." He beamed while talking about his woman, he just couldn't help it. "I trust her completely."

Nathan sighed. "I'm glad for that, my friend."

* * *

The super-duo had a bit more work cut out for them this time. Apparently another high-school student, Nino, had been akumatized into a supervillain named The Bubbler. He was targeting Gabriel Agreste for not allowing his son, Adrien, to have any fun on his 17th birthday.

" _Seriously_? Seventeen years old and still treating him like a child? That Gabriel has a stick up his-"

Cat Noir choked.

"-um. Are you ok, Cat Noir?"

* * *

After everything was back to normal, Ladybug split quickly, much to Cat's dismay.

Marinette really didn't want to keep Luka waiting. It was Thursday night, and they had a routine. Unfortunately, by the time the crimefighting was over and she returned home, she had missed their show. Instead of being upset, he cracked up at her pout. "Don't worry, Mari," he reassured her. "I didn't watch it without you. We can stream it tomorrow and catch up."

Later, while getting ready for bed, he smiled deviously. "If you're still upset, I can think of something else we can do to take your mind off of it." The words came out slightly distorted because his face was pressed into her skin.

"Luka, it's late and I have a meeting early tomorrow" she protested slightly, smiling in spite of herself, but waning under his feather-light touch.

She gave in. He was a great masseuse.

* * *

 **A/n** _: I actually have a story planned out this time haha - at least 10 chapters or so. A bit of thought went into this, for sure, and it's going to take me a while to write. Thanks for reading and drop me a line if you'd like :)_


	2. Intrigue

**A/n:** _Originally posted 5-11-18_

 _I must thank the incredible reviewers of this story. Because you were guests, I couldn't reply to you, but please know that my heart was filled with joy reading your kind words and your theories. The fact that you put so much thought into your review touches me, and I hope it reflects how much thought I have put into this story. :) Ilysm. Now enjoy Chapter 2!_

 _edit : after some excellent reviews, I have elaborated more on the relationship so far between Ladybug and Cat Noir and tweaked the scenes around the Timebreaker incident a bit to make Ladybug more in-character. As you'll see, CN and LB have now been working together for a few months. I realized in hindsight that that amount of time must have elapsed because I said last chapter that Luka was going on tour "in a few months". So, I'm thinking that was around Feb or so and it is now May. Thanks for bearing with me - this story is taking a lot of thought, and I am hoping to get better with time and with the constructive criticism you give. Onto the story!_

* * *

.:Chapter 2 - Intrigue:.

"Luka, I already told you I can't go," Alya said sadly into the speaker. She was chatting on her cellphone while walking to her rented office space. The _Ladyblog_ was doing well, and traffic had gone up exponentially since the Stoneheart incident, but it would still take quite a bit more to make a living off of the ad revenue. "I _have_ to go to this release tonight. Gotta pay the bills somehow," she added. One of the most popular tech companies was releasing their new phone in a few weeks, and a by-invitation-only reveal party was being held tonight.

"Oh, and I'm sure the fact that this is the most hyped tech event of the year is just an added bonus," Luka drawled.

"I _am_ excited for the event. But I'd skip it in a heartbeat if I could. I really wish you the best, but you'll have to get someone else to distract Marinette for the plan to work."

"It just doesn't feel right, her best friend not being there."

"If you had given me more _notice_ -"

"Look, I'm sorry," he interrupted. "I didn't know at the time that the original date wouldn't work. We've had a lot going on, ok? Good luck with the party."

The other end went dead. Alya stowed her phone and quickened her pace, thinking, _Wow, he must be stressing. That was as terse as I've ever heard him._

* * *

A few minutes later, Luka was still slightly flushed from embarrassment. His long frame was jammed onto a tiny nook of the tour bus. They hadn't known what else to do with this awkward extra space except to make it a dual-purpose storage and lounging area. It was just a bit too short to be comfortable, with cabinets underneath and a shelf overhead. His shoulders and head were crammed into one end, and his feet were propped against the other.

Or possibly, he was flushed from his anticipation of the evening ahead. His heart wouldn't stop racing. Tonight would be monumentous. If everything went to plan, it would one of the most important nights of his life.

He had realized belatedly that Fashion Week corresponded with the last leg of the tour, conflicting with the night of their Paris homecoming concert. He knew Marinette would give an arm and a leg to go to the concert, but he also knew it was impossible. Fashion Week was just too hectic for the designer, and going to see the show would only add to her stress load.

Thus, he had scrambled to pitch a special Farewell concert to his bandmates and manager. Two concerts in Paris, one tour, the farewell and homecoming concerts bookending the journey. The rest of the band had heartily agreed, much to their manager's dismay, who had rushed off, cursing, to put the event together.

Normally, it wouldn't matter this much that Marinette couldn't attend the Paris concert. There was still a whole other tour of concerts to see. But, as she probably couldn't travel until further notice, he was anxious to make this work. He thought he had heard their lead singer, Rose, speculating that Marinette might be pregnant, but he ignored the rumor for now. He could address it if it gained momentum. Meanwhile, he used Rose's fondness for romance to help fuel the fire that was propelling the band forward on the idea.

Because he was going to propose. Tonight.

* * *

"Looks pretty busy today," Marinette, observed, eyeing the scene through her Ladybug mask. She suddenly thought that other people besides Luka might see the mask and willed it off, peeling it away for the moment. No one seemed to notice her - the tour bus was a beehive of activity: tangles of wires, instruments, and limbs, as Luka's bandmates prepared to practice. She could hear the bass player tuning his guitar.

Luckily, Luka had videocalled right after she had transformed, but before she had left the house. Even though she left her cellphone at home during superheroing, she had heard it just in time and snatched it up when she saw who was calling. She had decided to steal a few minutes catching up with him before her morning rounds. What really killed her was that they were in the same city and yet it was as if the musicians were on tour already, because they had practiced late into the night and stayed at a hotel afterwards to ease into their early morning departure.

"Yep, even though we're on the road, we're preparing for our concert on Sunday."

"I thought you didn't have to be in Orléans until tomorrow - it's such a short drive, you shouldn't have to leave the day before." Marinette was attempting not to whine.

"I know, I know." He tried to appease her, smiling at her expression. "At least you and I made up for some lost time yesterday before I left," he whispered, winking at her conspiratorially.

She blushed but couldn't help smiling at his goofy grin.

"I just wanted to see what you were up to today, though," he continued. "And tell you that I loooove you."

"I lo-"

 _Beep beep!_

She was cruelly interrupted by a message from Cat Noir on her yo-yo. An urgent text - ' _At Lycée Françoise Dupont. Need help ASAP!'_

Cat must have already been on the scene and known that she was due for patrol, to text her and not call. Or, maybe he was hiding and didn't want to give his location away. Or, he was trapped!

"Oh shit, Luka- I'm so sorry, I'll call you right back after we take care of this akuma. Loveyousomuchbyeeee!" She blew her boyfriend a kiss and hung up.

 _Wow_ , she thought as she donned her mask and raced to join her partner-in-crimefighting. _Apparently high school is a major breeding ground for negative emotions._

* * *

Thankfully, Cat Noir was not, in fact, captured **.** He been hiding and assessing the situation. Joining him covertly, the two schemed on how to get the villain's rollerblade off of her left foot. Cat had seen the akuma land on her this time, which was something neither of them had witnessed before now. Ladybug had to check her racing thoughts, wondering for the first time how old Cat Noir really was. Could he be a high-school student?

"What was the transformation like?" She asked with interest.

He made a face. "Weird, kind of creepy. A purple-black darkness overtook her from where the akuma landed. She had some sort of exchange with Hawk Moth, I think, and then she transformed. She agreed to help him, Bug," he continued animatedly. "I wonder if the victim has to give consent in order to be evilized. We might have a chance to work against Hawk Moth if they do have a choice."

As he mused, Cat Noir framed his face with a hand, looking off intently into the distance. His yellow-green eyes glittered. He looked so beautiful and sultry in that moment that it hit her like a ton of bricks how attractive he actually was. Ladybug's heart skipped a beat, but she willed herself to focus, ignoring the realization.

"So, do you have a plan like usual, M'Lady?" He had been deferring to her seniority as a superhero the past couple of months - and she thought it more than that. He recognized her ability to think under pressure, and she appreciated the fledgling superhero letting her take the lead. Even though Cat acted egotistical and self-absorbed, she could see that it was just a charade. She knew the effect of suiting up could exaggerate one's personality and make it easier to act larger-than-life, so in general she liked to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"You know I do!"

* * *

Somehow, in the middle of the fray, Ladybug was compromised and Cat Noir sprang in front of Timebreaker's reaching hand. He put himself directly between them, shielding his Lady from harm, wrapping his limbs around her in a most intimate manner she would have protested if she had the time. Cat clung to her as if trying to use her body as an anchor to hold onto this world. The last thing he did before Timebreaker's touch was to press a warm kiss into Ladybug's face. The gesture was both shy and passionate at the same time.

It all happened so suddenly. She barely had time to register what he was doing before he had faded away into nothing. As she touched her cheek where his lips had been a moment before, Ladybug's face drained of color.

The past few months flashed before her eyes. The akuma assault had been relentless, and the thought of handling it alone filled her with despair. It was strange how quickly you could get used to sharing the work. Cat had showed up dutifully, every time, and handled situations as best he could even though he was green as grass. He always did everything she ever asked of him and more - besides nixing the cringy puns and flirty banter. Ladybug was impressed with his genuinely kind streak, showing a softness for children and other civilians alike. She actually felt jealous of how fast his progression, too - he was a fast learner.

He always especially seemed to know the akumatized victims if they were students of this school, or their parents or teachers. She had come to the conclusion about a month ago that he probably either attended the school or worked here. He looked rather large for a high-school student, so she had assumed he might be a younger teacher, substitute or student teacher. Either way, even if he was younger than her, he had shouldered his new responsibility with grace, carrying the burden in a way that she wasn't sure she could have done if she was younger. In the quiet moments of their time together - not that there were many - she could sense that he wasn't a stranger to pain, and that the bluster was a great way to hide it.

But now, the thought of him being gone forever opened up a strange blank space in her mind. She refused to accept that he wasn't coming back.

She had never had the bad luck to suffer a heart attack, but she imagined it might be something like this - heart beating but not able to breathe, a dull ache in the chest, and pins and needles in the limbs. She felt like she was having an out-of body experience as her eyes teared up, trying to keep the villain in focus.

"Awww, you silly little bug, did you looove your kitty cat?" Timebreaker sneered at her. "I got nine whole minutes from him! Must have been his nine lives…" the villain laughed to herself and started to speed off.

The girl - that _bitch_ \- was escaping! She was shaking all over, but Ladybug was going to be _damned_ if the girl who had essentially _killed_ her partner would be getting away. A panic ran through her that if she didn't catch the girl and stop her, he would be gone forever.

 _That's_ not _going to happen!_

* * *

As Timebreaker and Ladybug emerged into the past, Ladybug was slightly disoriented. She could see a group of students cheering two friends on who were racing each other. Then, a stopwatch was shattered by none other than Chloé. The girl on the rollerblades turned on her classmates and sped off, crying. Timebreaker raced to join her - the girl must be her past-self!

Which would mean Cat Noir should be showing up any minute… even though in the future timeline she had left, he must have noticed the akuma and texted her, she might have disrupted events here. She hoped that he was still around in this timeline, and would realize that something was amiss.

She was poised on the railing prominently, willing whoever past-Cat was to notice her. "Ladybug!" The other students cried, twirling around to take pictures and fawn over their idol.

"Students, there is going to be an akuma attack shortly," Ladybug instructed calmly. "Please quickly and carefully exit the area. Find shelter. Cat Noir and I are here to protect you."

As the crowd dispersed, Cat met her expectations, strolling over to her, looking confused but happy to see her as ever.

"Ladybug? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see you, but what's going on? Your patrol is clear on the other side of town today and I don't see any-"

"Cat Noir," Ladybug breathed. She covered her mouth with a hand, haunted eyes clouding over with tears.

 _Wow, I never dreamed of the day I'd feel so emotional about this silly kitty_ , she thought. But the sacrifice had touched her in a way nothing else in her life had so far. Someone had actually died for her. It was almost too much to bear. It was _her_ job to do that, dammit. It had been her task to protect this city longer than his, and he had thrown his life away almost carelessly. But maybe not as recklessly as she thought. He must have known she needed to survive in order to purify the akuma.

"Hello there, my Lady," he purred, unsure what was happening, but pleased. "Quite the reception you're giving me today. I wish you were always so happy to see me."

"Oh, shut up, Kitty," she commanded, closing the gap between them and crushing him to her. They had never hugged before, and she usually never had any desire to, but seeing him resurrected touched a chord in her. Cat Noir's body was rigid at first in surprise, but he relaxed.

His eyes were wide as if he couldn't believe his good luck. Ladybug was usually the lucky one. Steadily, as if afraid he would spook her and ruin the moment, he wrapped his own limbs around her. His expression, when she looked up at him from the vantage point of his chest, was half ecstatic and half worried.

"Ladybug - what _happened_ to you?" He asked with concern, rubbing circles into her back and shoulders protectively. She self-consciously grabbed his wrists to still his hands and moved his arms off of her again.

"I- you-... you sacrificed yourself for me," her voice broke, holding his arms awkwardly, unsure what to do, regretting the outburst of emotion.

"What? I'm right here. But you know I would do that instantly."

Her eyes stung. "I- yes, yes I do. Now I do."

Ladybug's grip fell from his left arm as he reached to tug one of her hair ribbons playfully. "Of course I would," he reaffirmed. "I lo-"

" _AHH!_ "

A bloodcurdling scream shook the air as the pair were harshly jolted back to the present - erm, past. Ladybug sprang back from him as if he were a hot iron. "Shit!" she yelled, leaping into action. "Text Ladybug, tell her to join us and it's urgent. Please!"

"Um, Bug? You're right here…"

"TRUST me!"

* * *

Cat Noir's eyes looked like they were going to escape his skull. Himself and the two Ladybugs were squaring off against the two Timebreakers. He whipped his head back and forth between the two Ladybugs, not sure what was going on. "Holy-"

"If you take this someplace sexual, I swear I'll-" the future Ladybug threatened.

"TWO Ladybugs?! I'm in HEAVEN!"

* * *

When it was over, and she was restored to the correct time (time travel was definitely something she never wanted to experience again), Ladybug announced her intentions to depart as soon as possible. Cat deflated like a popped balloon, but he dutifully stayed behind to comfort the dazed Alix. Ladybug appreciated the extra help he always provided, especially with the seemingly-exponential increase in akuma activity over the past few months since the Stoneheart's incident. As much as she was glad to see this timeline's Cat again in one piece, she had promised Luka she'd call him back if she could. She quickened her pace.

Her hopes were dashed upon seeing a vivid red head of hair as she neared her own rooftop. Nathaniel! He was almost to her doorstep. What was he doing at her house so early on a Friday? She hastened to get inside and detransform before he noticed she wasn't home.

* * *

"Marinette! Um, _hi_." Nathaniel's voice was strained, and as she watched, his mouth twisted into a grimace. She had opened the door the instant before he got the chance to knock, and he was awkwardly caught with his fist halfway to the wooden panels.

"Heeeeeyyy, Nate! I was just, ah. Going to get the ma-il!" she finished lamely. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. The realization crashed down on her that it was 10:00, too early for the mail to arrive. She blushed but held her ground, mentally kicking herself. _I could have said literally anything else, but no, the perfectly normal occurrence of me opening my front door now has to look suspicious because of my stupid excuse,_ she thought peevishly.

"Ah... okay. I was just heading over at Luka's request," he forged ahead through the uncomfortableness, using his fingers to comb his hair back from his face and tuck some long strands behind one ear. "He wanted to see if you need anything and also asked me to take you grocery shopping." They all knew that if Marinette didn't have Luka around to feed, she would regress from the 'eat well' mindset into 'graze and stay alive'. As a result, Nathan was often tasked with checking up on her - not that he minded, she thought - so the pair spending more time together when Luka was out of town was definitely normal.

She released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Okay," Marinette said, smiling tentatively at him. Tightness in her face and upper body loosened. She thought she saw Nathan relax in turn. "Let's walk down a few streets - I think they might have the new summer produce out!"

* * *

After they had killed some time shopping for fresh fruits and vegetables - her eyes had lit up like the sunrise breaking through the clouds, he thought, at the simple pleasures of strolling the open-air market a few blocks from her place - Nathan had to think of a reason to get Marinette to their destination.

Luka had filled him in on the last-minute change of plans hurriedly. Though the band didn't have much time to get a venue ready, the situation was surprisingly playing to their favor. Their manager had managed to create a lot of social media buzz around the "pop-up" concert, and their agent was marketing it as a bonus for fans who followed them on certain platforms. Nathan knew the only reason Marinette hadn't caught on yet was she had been on a mysterious errand this morning - Luka wouldn't tell him what - and now Nathan had kept her too busy to check her phone. She was a good friend, and didn't often idly scroll her phone when she had company. That was what Luka and Nathaniel were banking on.

The rock band was going to be staging the event at an open-air amphitheater downtown that overlooked the Seine. It was part of a public park, so that made the cost of renting fairly low, and it fit in with the whole spur-of-the-moment theme.

Now all Nathan had to do was get here there without her expecting anything. And he thought he had the perfect cover.

"Hey Mari, after this do you wanna go check out that new art supply store downtown?"

She paused from swinging her reusable grocery bag back and forth. She actually stopped in her tracks, so that he had to backpedal to keep level with her, after making sure they weren't impeding any other pedestrians. Marinette, pretty cutely, he had to admit, had a habit of not paying attention to her surroundings.

" _Do_ I? YES!" She shouted with glee, running the rest of the way back to the house.

When the food was put up, they made their way to the art store. He experimented in more artistic mediums than her, but they had both used their artistic passions to fuel their careers. They had first bonded over the subject many years ago, in high school, when she had noticed him sketching a comic book strip.

Thankfully, the shop was within walking distance… and was nestled in a corner directly across from the band's location. _Hopefully I'll get here there without too much trouble_ , Nate thought.

* * *

 **A/n** : _Sorry, this chapter was going to include the proposal, but it was getting too long, hehe. I have a lot of scenes planned but they end up taking more space than I think. Maybe I'm just too wordy, lol._

 _I love time travel as an element in stories, and something that always bothered me about the Timebreaker episode was that the two timelines ended up going differently. I couldn't really escape it with my version either, but I suppose there are always going to be paradoxes with time travel, so we can assume that Ladybug's miraculous fixes any paradoxes in time when it fixes everything else, haha._

 _As a last note I want to remark on the "Lycée Françoise Dupont". Since I have obviously set Adrien in high school, in this universe the Françoise Dupont has a high school on the same campus as the middle school in the show._


	3. Proposal

**A/n** : _Originally posted 5-18-18_

 _Just a few notes regarding some reviews. I have edited Ch 2 scenes around the Timebreaker incident, if you didn't see that. Thank you for pointing out that Ladybug was a bit OOC. LB and CN will have to be slightly different than canon in order for this story to work, but I do want their core personalities to be the same._

 _Secondly, Marinette is not currently pregnant. The reason Nathan mentioned that in Ch1 was the "emergency Lamaze class" excuse. Luka heard a vague pregnancy rumor in Ch2 because the proposal was being rushed, and that tends to look "suspicious" to others. (they naturally seem to think- "shotgun wedding! She must be preggo!") In my life thus far as a female I have seen this attitude time and again. People always seem to want to ask when babies are coming, or assume they are at the slightest prompt. That's why I have written that into a few instances. :)_

 _Anyway, on with the story! ^_^_

* * *

.:Chapter 3 - Proposal:.

*flash-back*

 _Marinette cracked an eyelid and stared at her mentor across the small room. Master Fu's face was carefully schooled into a peaceful mask, his posture perfect and statuesque. Marinette was trying to follow suit, to no avail._

" _What's wrong, Ladybug?" Master Fu asked her without looking. Tikki paused from playing with Wayzz just long enough to giggle at the humans._

 _She paused, trying to put her finger on what exactly was bothering her. "I- I just don't understand," she said in a rush. "I've been Ladybug for twelve years, and you kept the Cat miraculous guarded this entire time. Why give it out now?" It had been bothering her since she had met the new superhero, Cat Noir - about a month ago now._

 _The older man sighed and opened his eyes. "Marinette. I understand your confusion. While miraculous can be wielded by anyone who wears them, there are certain people the energy resonates with. Those people will_ be _the heroes, he or she will live and breathe them. Those individuals will also be able to wield his or her powers more effectively than others could. I hadn't_ felt _Cat Noir for a long time, but I knew he would emerge if we were patient."_

" _Twelve years is a long time, Master Fu," Marinette pouted. His lips twitched at her response, clearly disagreeing. "I still don't think him helping you up off of the ground is a good enough reason to go handing him a miraculous," she continued._

" _I'm starting to regret telling you that now," he sighed. "You'll just have to trust me. When he touched me, I could feel his energy. I_ knew _he was the one."_

 _She sighed noisily and tried to calm her mind again before an alarming thought surfaced. She figured she might as well get it out of the way before it ruined her concentration further. "Master Fu?"_

" _Hmm?"_

" _How many times did you intentionally put yourself in danger to try and find the elusive Cat?"_

 _He didn't answer._

*/end*

* * *

 _Nate. We're ready.,_ Luka's text read. Nathan blanched.

"Marinette?" the ginger asked. He was glad they were near each other and hadn't gone their separate ways in the art store. By another stroke of good luck, neither of them had grabbed anything to purchase yet, so he thought he could expedite their departure.

"Yes?" she looked at him expectantly with her beautiful sapphire orbs. His pulse sped up.

He took a quick steadying breath. "Do you trust me?"

* * *

Across the street, a crowd was gathering on the terraced stairs. The stone steps rose around the stage in a half-circle, allowing everyone a fairly decent vantage point. The back of the stage was against the Seine. This park was very scenic, and _very_ old; the open-air theater reminded Luka of something the ancient Greeks and Romans would use. From the stage, he raised his gaze to survey the crowd nervously. _What's keeping Nathaniel?_

"We've done this hundreds of times, Lukie," Rose squeaked to her lead guitarist. "It'll be fine." She placed a bracing hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

He appreciated the gesture, but it was lost in the rolling tide of his emotions. "This isn't a normal concert to me, so it's hard to act like it." He turned over the ring box in his pocket. "But thanks, Rose."

* * *

Word had spread quickly that Luka was planning something special for his girlfriend. Unfortunately, that meant that the traditional media had also caught on, and a few photographers and reporters had already turned out.

The band was all set up, its members at their stations, waiting for the lady of the hour to arrive. Rose had made an announcement a few minutes ago asking for the attendees' (and begging for the media's) cooperation to keep the surprise as long as possible.

Nathaniel finally emerged from the art shop with Marinette in tow, her eyes obediently closed. He held her hand, guiding her carefully across the street to the park. A handful of minor paparazzi were gathered at the perimeters of the public space. Once the two were spotted, the photo shutters began snapping furiously. Her brow furrowed, but Marinette didn't open her eyes. Nathan grimaced and trudged on.

As the crowd noticed her presence, they parted before the pair to form a path. The only noise besides the normal rush of the river and city was the crowd's background chatter. Nathan knew she would be able to hear them talking, but she still wouldn't suspect the gravity of the situation. Even with the crowd's cooperation, it was treacherous going over the many shallow, long stone steps. He steered her carefully, bodily grabbing her around her waist when she stumbled. Her eyes opened a crack in fear, but thankfully she was staring up into the sky at that moment, head thrown back, and she forced her eyelids shut again. Because they were above the band, he didn't think she had seen anything. She squeezed the hand holding hers in thanks.

Once they were in the best spot - front and center, Nathan nodded to Luka. The best friends made eye contact. Luka's gaze flicked down to their clasped hands and back up to Nathan's face, his expression inscrutable for a moment.

It passed quickly, and Luka seemed to shake himself out of his thoughts, his smile slowly warming to a high-wattage beam as the reality hit him. They were ready.

"You can open your eyes now," Nate whispered into Marinette's ear, squeezing her hand and then letting go as her expression went from patient, to confused, to elated. Her face was broadcast to the whole audience on a makeshift projector screen behind the band. Seeing her eyes open, the fans let out a hearty cheer that swelled to a roar. Luka - amazing Luka, cool-as-a-cucumber Luka, decked out in his show outfit - had his arms crossed casually, yet his expression belied his true feelings. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"What is this?" Marinette tried to shout over the crowd. A particularly enthusiastic concertgoer was whooping loudly a few feet away. Marinette's gaze was riveted to her one and only lover, her eyes glazed with tears. "I didn't know the band was playing…"

"Well hey there, Marinette," Luka smiled into his microphone from his place: stage-right of the lead singer. His amplified voice bounced around the space, and he kept his gaze locked on her. "So nice of you to finally join us." The crowd went wild again. After waiting a few moments for the noise to die partially, he continued.

"You might be wondering what the hell is going on," he mused. She nodded from her spot. "So why don't we start with our first song of this set. We've never played it before, but we like to call it -" he paused dramatically, "- _Marinette_."

Marinette began to cry in earnest as Luka took the lead vocals for this song. He had only sang lead on a few songs from previous albums, so it was extra-special to hear his heartfelt croon. His singing was quite good, even compared to his star-studded coworkers in the music industry. Marinette had always thought Luka's was one of the most beautiful voices she had ever heard. She could almost hear the audience collectively sigh.

During the first verse, she had reached for Nathan's hand and squeezed it, raising their limbs and swaying with the rest of the crowd to the rise and fall of the melody. The song was about commitment, and how easily it flowed for the singer's love. It was about determination to make the relationship work, no matter what.

Starting in the second verse, Rose provided an evocative harmony. The two's voices were as smooth as butter, and the overtones gave Marinette goosebumps.

After the second chorus, Luka dropped his guitar, letting it hang on its strap, and took his mic off of the stand. He moved to the center of the stage, watching Marinette closely. The bassist, drums, and harmony dropped out, leaving just the keyboard and Luka.

Marinette's pulse sped up and her palms started to sweat. She let go of Nathan's hand and fixated on the man directly in front of her. Luka sang of the simplest pleasures, shared thousands of times. Of vacations and sick days and everything in-between. The mundane Wednesdays that were made special because of who they were with. He was singing of a lifelong commitment. The crowd held its breath.

And then, as if she were dreaming, the last line of the bridge dropped from Luka's lips like stones into a clear, deep well.

" _Marry me?_ "

Marinette gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Time seemed to slow down.

"Marinette," Luka spoke now, still gipping his mic with both hands. The keyboardist played softly in the background, stretching out the chords of the bridge indefinitely. "You know I'm no good with talking sometimes, but I think I can music pretty well." The audience laughed. A few single cheers and boisterous laughs broke out from scattered extra-enthusiastic people.

His eyes briefly flitted to some of them and then glanced back at his love. "I once told you, a long time ago, that music is often simpler than words. I first got the idea to write this song two years ago, when you shared a major secret with me. I started composing it about a year ago, but the bridge was different. It never felt right until now. I finally figured out how to ask you to become my wife. The song is real, Mari. It's about you and I, and our life together we have made, and will make, if you so choose."

Pulling the ring box out of his pocket, he bent to put one knee on the ground. "Marry me?"

* * *

...Meanwhile, Cat Noir's alter-ego was lost in the fantasy of his sexy and mysterious partner. Plagg had fled to give the boy some privacy. "Ladybug…" Adrien breathed, a feverish temperature creeping from his chest up to his cheeks.

He could only lay there after it was over, the strongest euphoria he had ever felt gripping his body in paralysis. As his pulse settled back to normal and the warmth faded, he was an odd mixture of drained and sad. He was crashing hard after such a high.

A single tear made its way out of his right eye as he gazed down at the still of Ladybug on his phone. It was the realization that she wasn't his, and they likely wouldn't be meeting in this way other than in his imagination, anytime soon. His hands gripped the covers until his fingers hurt; desire and impotency battled in his abdomen as sobs wracked his frame.

* * *

"Y-yes! Yes, I will marry you!" Marinette shouted to be heard. Her heart was beating like a hare's caught in a trap, and for once she didn't mind the camera broadcasting her face, even if it was splotchy and red from the emotion.

Luka was elated. His face was pure ecstacy, and at his next exhale, his frame sagged forward slightly, as if the weight of his expectations was sloughing off of him. The camera cut to him and when he looked up again, she thought his eyes were shinier than normal.

"Marinette," he struggled to speak around the lump in his throat. He cleared it and tried again. "My love, my queen." He climbed up one of the stone steps into the audience, gingerly taking her hand and fitting the ring over her finger. She clung to him, lost in him, the background a dull roar.

They were broken from their embrace several moments later by Rose clearing her throat. Apparently the keyboardist had tried two times already to get Luka to move on with the song. The chords from the bridge finally progressed, and Luka sang the last chorus from next to his fiancé, his fingers cutting off the circulation in hers. His vocals were shaky, but the crowd gave him a pass.

Reluctantly, he let her go to join his bandmates again and finish the concert - but only after the band had played a song - another romantic ballad, of course - without him. Luka and Marinette, pressed close together, cherished every second of that song. They swayed slowly together, an island in the ocean around them.

* * *

 **A/n** : _I was trying realllyy hard to stay within the T guidelines, when I realized that M is still acceptable for this site, just not MA. (I don't like writing sex scenes anyway, so... no MA is just fine with me) So, this story will not be explicit, but will definitely allude to sex/sexual acts - unfortunately, quite frequently, it's part of the drama of this story, but I still think there's a way to do it tastefully. Thanks for your patience while I figure out the rating thing and I hope it didn't put anyone off. Thanks for reading! :)_


	4. Search

**A/n** : _Originally posted 5-27-18_

 _This is a really weird chapter. I didn't intend it to be like this, but I kinda just kept writing and writing about a certain topic. Most of it's about the fallout after the Timebreaker incident. It created a weird dissonance in Cat's mind. So sorry if that's not that exciting, I personally find it fascinating which is why it's so long I guess.. but I promise the next chapter will get back to the more normal parts of the story :) Thanks for reading!_

.: Chapter 4 - Search :.

Shortly after the proposal, Marinette was overcome with even more emotion as her parents emerged from the crowd. She was crushed by her father and she giggled, oohed and aahed with her mother over the song, Luka, and the ring. Luka was on cloud nine, riffing with gusto on his solos, and really hamming it up for the remainder of the concert. The crowd approved, and the rest of the band indulged him with an almost sibling-like tolerance.

Tom and Sabine departed soon after it was over after meeting up with the couple backstage, with promises to have them over for dinner the moment Luka was back in town. Marinette deflated slightly but agreed. Luka clutched her hand lovingly as her parents' forms shrinked away, willing her to not feel sad.

"Victory shots!" the keyboardist shouted, breaking the mood, grinning lopsidedly. "We've got to toast my man Luka and his beautiful bride-to-be!" A round of chuckles scattered through the busy crew, band and their loved ones gathered backstage.

Luka squeezed Marinette. "Are you ready for tonight? The congratulations? The fans? The pictures.. And all the free booze you could want?"

"What, you need to get drunk to face the idea of marrying me, now that the reality has set in?" She teased. His expression was so troubled, and so suddenly that she had to laugh. "Awww, Luka! I was just joking."

He buried his face in her neck. "Good! Because you can't get rid of me, now! Never!"

She shrieked at his rough stubble, and both of them broke down into giggles.

* * *

The afterparty had gone late into the night, and though she had been to many before, this one was different. There was a festival feeling in the air. Everyone's spirits were elevated into an almost mania. The newly-engaged couple's good spirits were infectious. Luka had felt the need to buy everyone in the bar a round, after a few shots himself. He didn't often drink to excess, but he also didn't often get engaged, he figured.

Thankfully, miraculously, no one puked on the floor, got into a fight, or got kicked out of the bar. It was one for the history books. Marinette could tell everyone was trying to celebrate while still being respectful of Luka and herself. The mood was was rowdy but jovial.

The couple woke up pleasantly tangled together on Saturday morning, the next day. Though the band had a concert in Orléans Sunday and had to get on the road, they had stayed one more night, contrary to what Marinette had originally been told.

"Sorry, babe," Luka had said with a sheepish smile. "It was the only way we could keep it a surprise from you!"

She recalled the memory fondly, with a hint of sadness. He was gone now, and she was walking home in yesterday's outfit. After the euphoria of getting engaged, she felt suddenly hollow with Luka gone.

"These few months will fly by, Marinette," Tikki said cheerfully from her bag, sensing the woman's emotions. "You've got Fashion Week to look forward to, plus Jagged is coming to town soon," she smiled.

"That's right!" Marinette returned her Kwami's expression. "Thanks, Tikki."

* * *

After a long-overdue brunch with Alya - gushing over the ring, the photos, and the concert - Marinette felt refreshed. Her hangover headache was a shadow of its former self, and she finally felt she could concentrate enough to be productive.

The fashion designer was just finishing up her first complete piece for her Fall collection when it hit her like a bolt of lightning.

She had completely forgotten to transform for more than twenty-four hours!

* * *

Even though it seemed like overkill sometimes, Marinette liked to transform at least a few times a day to check her messages from Cat Noir. This would have been unthinkable prior to Hawk Moth's emergence, but it was the norm now. After being frustrated occasionally when Cat wasn't immediately available to help, she realized that she needed to be more available, too. There was no rhyme or reason to the akuma attacks. Thankfully, she hadn't missed one yet, but she worried that she might. _At least we live in the modern era,_ Marinette thought - though it could be both a blessing and a curse. _I don't see how Ladybugs of ages past managed to keep up on everything without the media reporting on every little detail._

Checking her messages, she saw six texts and one voicemail from Cat Noir. Her heart sped up. That was a lot, even for him. Something must be wrong.

Voicemail: dated, Friday, at 17:30.

"Ladybug," Cat's voice was strained. "I - please, I don't understand… I thought I understood what was going on until I got home and actually had time to _think_. Being alone is the worst, isn't it? You actually get to reflect on things you might not want to." He sounded like he had lots of experience doing just that. Her heart contracted a little.

"Anyway, Plagg told me that your _Miraculous Ladybug_ reconciled the rift in time that opened up when Timebreaker broke it. So… even though I know that I died in this timeline, somehow I was resurrected and I have a whole different set of memories from the previous timeline." He took a few breaths, pausing for a moment. "I'm just still so confused. My brain has these scrambled bits of the different timelines that aren't connected... _Please_ call me. I know you usually check these a few times a day, so I'll wait until I hear from you again..."

Her heart started to race in dread, feeling like a failure. She had failed her partner by being completely absorbed and preoccupied by her love life. Fingers slightly damp with sweat, she scrolled through her texts.

Friday, 11:02: _Hey there, paw-tner (haha)._

Friday, 13:37: _So… I just remembered that I died._

Friday, 14:39: _You saved me, Bug. You did it. But my head hurts, I feel like I'm in a fog._

Friday, 21:57: _My Lady, please answer me when you can. Something feels wrong… you normally respond at least within a few hours._

Saturday, 09:30: _Ladybug, I'm going crazy… and I'm getting tired. Plagg says if I sleep, I might lose my memories by the brain's sorting process. I'll wait for you until noon, after that…_

Saturday, 09:32: _I'll assume you aren't coming._

Marinette frantically checked her watch. 11:22! _Aah!_ She looked at Tikki and groaned.

"I can understand him being so confused," the little red Kwami said wisely. "Humans aren't meant to travel through time. Even though Cat Noir from this timeline didn't travel with you to the past, he still existed in two different parallel universes. The fact that he died in this timeline must be particularly upsetting."

"I don't get it. Other people died from Timebreaker's touch, too, and they were also brought back to life."

"Yes," Tikki continued, "but those were paradoxes in time that your _Miraculous Ladybug_ fixed. People who died no longer remember being dead. And they certainly don't remember the other reality you created when you went back in time - when they were literally doing something else at the same moment since the time split."

"Well, why didn't that work on Cat Noir?" Marinette asked.

"Even though your power mends paradoxes, Miraculous holders still keep their memories of all timelines they participated in before the conflict was resolved." Tikki shrugged slightly. "It's a side effect of the Miraculous' power. But, knowing all the information comes at a high cost. This set of events in particular is creating a dissonance in Cat Noir's mind because he literally did two different things at the same time… his brain remembers him being dead, yet at the same time it also remembers he was alive, helping you in the alternate reality. If he doesn't get to talk to you about it and set some mental markers for which reality is real, it could have some serious psychological repercussions."

"Wow, I didn't know it could get that bad," Marinette frowned.

"It's serious," Tikki's eyes were wide. "His mind could even trick him into thinking he's supposed to be dead. He's not from one timeline or the other, but he is both people, just as you are. You technically returned to your original timeline at the end of the conflict, but you're still the Ladybug from the alternate reality also. That's what it means to keep all of your memories from both realities."

Feeling as if she was in some sort of weird philosophy class, Marinette swallowed hard. The whole weight of time travel and its intricacies was finally settling down onto her shoulders. The superhero paled and her fingers trembled slightly as she dialed Cat's number. No answer. She texted him, but didn't see his "writing" icon pop up to let her know he was composing a response. _Ugh!_

"Looks like this is a situation where Cat doesn't want to be found," Marinette mused, "And I want to find him. There's a first time for everything I guess... Wish me luck! TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

* * *

Ladybug was puzzled, because Cat Noir was obviously still transformed. She could see his GPS pin on her communicator. She was so deep in her musings, she was almost startled out of the air by a _beep beep!_ She paused her chase to glance at her yo-yo.' _Just stay away from me_. _I'm not sure what's real and what's not._ '

Ignoring him, she continued determinedly. He obviously needed her, and she wouldn't give up now. Much as she teased him for being crazy sometimes, she knew he really wasn't, and she needed her partner's brain firing on all cylinders if they wanted a chance to defeat Hawkmoth.

She spotted him now, slouched in the shadow of a dormer. His eyes were glazed, expression vacant. She tried to approach as cautiously as possible, as if he really were a feral cat.

It didn't work. Cat was up on his feet, ready to fight, when she broached his personal space.

"Cat Noir." She tried to stay calm, but her brow was wrinkled with emotion. "It's me, Ladybug. Your partner."

The fog disappeared from his eyes slightly, greens brightening. "Are you real or am I real?"

Tikki's words from earlier echoed in Ladybug's mind. The Kawmi had said that if Cat Noir didn't get anchored to this reality soon, his confusion would worsen. He could go mad. The fact that Ladybug was the one who helped cause the dissonance tugged at her heartstrings, making her feel as small as the insect she was named for.

"We are both real, Cat," she said confidently.

Ladybug thought back to her Kwami's advice. _Get him to actually touch something from this reality. Take his gloves off,_ Tikki had insisted. _His brain will pull him to the stronger memory which he will want to keep. I think you know which one that will be, in this case…_

She did know. He'd want to keep the hug.

"I.. but there were two of you and one of me. I don't understand… that means that one of me disappeared. I-" he sucked in a breath, new tears in his eyes as if remembering for the first time. The fight went out of him, slumping to the ground again.

He wrapped his arms around his crossed knees, and she thought she saw him shiver. "I _died_ , Ladybug."

She figured they could address that when he was more lucid. Slowly and deliberately, she sat down next to him. When that worked, she reached for his hand. He flinched but seemed to grow comfortable with the idea.

Prying his arm away from its defensive position was a bit more difficult, but she managed. _It's hard to give affection to someone who doesn't want it_ , she thought. His tendons and muscles were taut as she worked her fingers to get his glove off.

"I.. I don't understand," he repeated. "I just want it to make sense."

 _This is bad_ , she thought. _What touch will snap him back?_

Then, it hit her. Finally, she got the glove off and put his bare skin to her face.

It was only the second time his skin had touched hers. In her haste, she hadn't really worried about the orientation of his hand, and his thumb was now caught awkwardly over her lips. She shivered. It had an instantaneous effect on him also; his eyes finally cleared as the fog in his head seemed to also. "Ladybug-what?"

"Cat," she smiled, too shaken to tease him. "Nice of you to join me."

She explained in sequence what had happened during the original and alternate universe. During her account, when his hand had been on her face a bit too long to be polite, he reluctantly drew it back. "So.. I saw the akuma transform a victim in this reality. I texted you. We fought, and I died protecting you." They both avoided mentioning the way he had wrapped his body around hers, and the kiss. "Then, you went back in time. Found me again. Before I died. You had me text the Ladybug in that reality.. And she was Ladybug Number Two in that fight."

"Yes. And so much time had elapsed in that universe that it started to coincide with the time you were dead in the original timeline."

"Gotcha." His face twisted into a wry smile. "So, I was dead, and alive, at the same time."

"Essentially."

"Like another famous cat we know?"

"What- uuuuugh," she rolled her eyes at the famous Schrodinger's cat reference. "So we go from you're loopy to making your normal dorky jokes in less than an hour. You _would_ take this there. I'd say you're feeling back to your old self!"

As she swung to leave, he caught her forearm with his long fingers. She realized he had redonned his glove, another good sign.

"I...am. Almost feeling normal again, I mean" he said as a cloud passed over his face. "Will you sit and talk with me for just a few more minutes?"

She hesitated, finally giving in to the positively puppy-dog look from her feline friend. "Ahh, _fine_. A few more minutes won't hurt."


	5. Arousal

**A/n** _: Originally posted 6/28/18_

* * *

.:Chapter 5: Arousal:.

*flash-back*

 _Thankfully, nothing too personal had come up during the rest of their conversation on the roof that night, so she didn't regret staying. Cat seemed to respect her strict boundaries more than normal - whether it was his mind adjusting back to reality or because he was grateful, she didn't want to question it._

 _They were interrupted by an akuma attack. Hawk Moth had created the Pharaoh - a villain with the abilities of several ancient Egyptian gods, but he could only hold one ability at a time. Oddly enough, Ladybug learned that her Kwami was actually as old as time, and that there were many Ladybugs before herself._

 _Cat seemed taken aback. His earlier hesitation to pry evaporated. "Just how old_ are _you, Ladybug?" It seemed for the first time that he considered she might not be the same age as him._

" _You know I can't answer that."_

*/end*

* * *

"So, you really like this Cat Noir, hmmm?" Juleka hummed into the phone. She almost sounded amused.

"Ick, no way!" Marinette automatically responded, before thinking the instant denial sounded a bit false, even to her own ears. She was surprised by Juleka's directness, but the two women had grown close over the years, and Marinette knew that talking on the phone could be easier for the shy girl than face-to-face conversations.

Marinette was shaken to her core for a moment by her own split feelings on the Cat Noir matter. _Did_ she have a crush on her partner? She knew that Juleka wouldn't take news of a silly crush on a superhero too seriously, but her brother, on the other hand, would.

Luka had tolerated her few past infatuations with good humor and patience. They both knew that in a long-term relationship, interests in other people were bound to crop up. The important thing was that the two chose each other. Generally, Marinette's feelings were nothing serious. Their relationship had only truly been in trouble about ten years ago, when the designer took her first real fashion job. She was a little too interested in a fellow intern, who reciprocated her feelings. Eventually, he had tried to convince her to break up with Luka. Ultimately she had refused, and ended the friendship.

Luka had weathered his share of crushes, too - but Marinette knew that if any cropped up while he was on tour, he worked day and night to keep his distance. The road was a dangerous and tempting place, and she knew if he put a toe out of line, social media would be all over him. Even if he didn't mess up, the uglier side of social media was quick to cast blame. The pair had been through a lot, but they were stronger for it.

"I could never like that guy. He's super arrogant," Marinette continued, trying to convince herself, also. "Have you heard how he talks in interviews?"

Juleka chuckled, a sound she didn't make often. "You sound like you're not so sure. Plus," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "I saw that Cat Noir piece on your art page. Nice detail on the abs, by the way."

Marinette sighed. She had felt weird about posting that picture, but not posting it felt worse somehow, like she was trying to hide it. "All right, Juleka… I'll tell you what I think."

* * *

A few countries over, Luka was killing a few moments of downtime by scrolling through his feed on said art sharing site. His gaze flicked over his fiancée's most recent contribution again and his heart constricted, flooding with pain almost as much as the first time he had seen it. The detail in the picture was breathtaking.

While most of the piece was black, fittingly, it was still in color, and startling emerald cat eyes looked out from a haunted, gaunt white face. Golden hair splayed out at odd angles, giving Cat Noir somehow both an angelic and yet sinister look. He looked as if he were a saint, and the city treated him as such, Luka knew. But the superhero also looked dangerous, like his eyes could peel the layers off of you - like they were looking into your soul. This was the part that disturbed Luka. That, and the many hours he know it would have taken Marinette to finish this piece.

The musician knew his sister wouldn't understand all the reasons for his request, but he still hoped that Juleka could get a bit more information out of Marinette than he could. He knew his betrothed would - possibly unintentionally - not be as guarded with Juleka about the subject.

A text from his sister pinged. _You don't have anything to worry about, bro._

He wasted no time in responding. _How do you know?_

 _It was a really weird conversation. She talked about him in a totally almost hero-worshippy way, which is funny because I know she likes Ladybug, but she doesn't get that way about her._

Luka was at a loss for how to respond, dread filling his heart. He saw his sister's "writing" icon for a few minutes, before: _Ugh, I'm calling you. Too much to type._

"I don't know what it is, Luka," Juleka said. "But she definitely has no ill intentions. I mean, she _seriously_ wants to marry you!"

Luka already knew Marinette's pure heart, but he still had his misgivings. He certainly didn't doubt her intentions, but knew that even someone like her could be led astray. He grunted noncommittally.

"She talked about him totally as if he's on another level," Juleka pressed on. "Marinette doesn't see Cat Noir as attainable - not that she would even want to attain him, of course. She doesn't see being with him as something that's even possible. She just thinks he's a seriously good person under all that posturing and exterior - that's what inspired her drawing. But, the exterior is seriously off putting for her."

There was that, at least. _That might not be enough to keep her away from him, though, if they've only been working together four months and he's already this inspiring to her_ , he thought sourly. He had never wished more than in that moment that he could tell someone else who Ladybug's alter-ego was.

"Yeah, that's not too comforting," Luka replied. "It seems like Cat Noir is going to be around for a while."

" _You guys_ have been around for a while," his sister responded, exasperated. "Remember, you two have been together almost as long as I have been alive? You were high school sweethearts, and your relationship survived this _entire_ time. That's pretty rare, I think."

Luka sighed. "I know, I know, Juleka. Thanks for that, and I appreciate you looking into this for me. You're right. But I just can't help but feel something is _different_ this time."

* * *

"Crap, I totally spaced," Ladybug said, horror creeping through her. She was talking to Cat Noir's disembodied head. He was being silly and flipping through the air while talking, thus having trouble keeping his face in the frame.

Her partner called and texted a bit more often than was strictly necessary. Ladybug usually ignored the excess communication, and only responded when she was needed. However, this conversation was tricky - it was technically about superhero business, because a local sculptor had been inspired by Ladybug and Cat Noir to build a piece in their honor. Encouraging and fostering goodwill in the citizens they protected was their duty, but she had completely forgotten about the ceremony and missed it. The situation was a weird gray area because her personal life was interfering with her superhero life. They were _both_ her lives, right? Then why did it feel so hard sometimes to be both Marinette _and_ Ladybug?

"That's not like you, Ladybug," Cat Noir prodded, feline eyes boring into her through the video link. He had stopped showing off for a few seconds to be serious. "Trouble in paradise?" It was a guess at best, and not a good one. Cat had already made a few advances over the last few months, which she had quickly rebuffed.

However, she did empathize with her unlucky partner. When she had first become Ladybug all those years ago, her superhero persona was sassier and more confident than her normal persona. Consequently, she really couldn't fault Cat Noir for acting larger-than-life. Since he found her attractive, he was bolstered by his super-powered persona into being more confident, hence the constant jokes and clumsy pursuits. Along with her sense of understanding, his good heart also made it more tolerable… though not less annoying.

"That's none of your business, Cat Noir," Ladybug reminded. "My personal life is not up for discussion right now… or ever, for that matter."

Cat pouted and eyed her morosely.

"Look, I'm really sorry that I missed it. My civilian life is booked to the max right now. I understand that my superhero duties take precedence. But, sometimes it's hard to balance them both. Ugh, I wish that our communicators would work when we're not in costume."

"We could just exchange phone numbers in real life, that way we always know what's going on!" He grinned at her. It looked more like a shark's grin than a cat's.

"Not going to happen."

"Someday, M'Lady, it _will_ happen." his eyes glittered. He was filled with such resolve, it shook her. "Anyway, don't apologize to me," Cat sulked suddenly. "Apologize to your new lover. Théo Barbot."

"Umm… the sculptor?"

"Yes. He apparently has taken quite an… interest in you. You inspired the statue. He said that everything he had went into that statue and that he worships you."

She blanched. "No…"

"He might as _well_ have said that he worships you. It's how he acts," Cat grumbled, narrowing his eyes.

"Aww, is Kitty jealous?" It was her turn to grin, amused in spite of herself.


End file.
